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Paid Internet Advertising by Enterprises in Ireland: CSO Figures 2016 to 2024
The CSO's table ICA71 gives 43.0% for any paid internet advertising in 2024, for enterprises with ten or more persons engaged in manufacturing, construction and selected services. The CSO's release says: "More than four in ten (43%) enterprises paid to advertise on the internet in 2024, with nearly one-quarter (24%) using targeted advertising based on webpage content or users’ keyword searches." The same table gives 33.3% for 2016, 34.5% for 2018 and 38.6% for 2023. These figures do not cover every business in Ireland, and the table has no café figure.
What share of enterprises with ten or more persons engaged in manufacturing, construction and selected services paid for internet advertising in 2024?
The CSO's table ICA71 gives 43.0% for "Any paid internet advertising" in 2024. The release's key findings put it this way: "More than four in ten (43%) enterprises paid to advertise on the internet in 2024, with nearly one-quarter (24%) using targeted advertising based on webpage content or users’ keyword searches."
The CSO's Background Notes say: "The results cover enterprises with ten or more persons engaged in the manufacturing, construction and selected services sectors." So the figure is not for all businesses in Ireland. Table ICA71 gives no breakdown by sector, so we cannot say how the figure differs between manufacturing, construction and services.
Which kinds of paid internet advertising did they use?
Table ICA71 splits paid internet advertising into four types after the row "Any paid internet advertising". In 2024 the largest was "Paid advertising based on webpage content or keywords searched by users" at 24.1%. That comparison is ours.
The other three, all for 2024: "Paid advertising based on the geolocation of internet users" 13.6%, "Any other paid advertising method, not elsewhere classified" 10.2%, and "Paid advertising based on tracking internet users' past activities or profile" 9.3%. We use the CSO's labels as they are. The table's unit is "%", and the release's table title is "Percentage of enterprises using paid Internet advertising by type, 2016-2024". We say nothing more than that about what the type figures are a share of.
How has paid internet advertising by enterprises changed since 2016?
In table ICA71, "Any paid internet advertising" is 33.3% in 2016, 34.5% in 2018, 38.6% in 2023 and 43.0% in 2024. The table has only those four years, so it shows no yearly series and we fill no gaps. By our arithmetic the figure is 9.7 percentage points higher in 2024 than in 2016, and 4.4 points higher than in 2023. We give no reason for the change, because the table gives none.
"Paid advertising based on webpage content or keywords searched by users" is 26.4% in 2016, 25.9% in 2018, 21.8% in 2023 and 24.1% in 2024. "Paid advertising based on tracking internet users' past activities or profile" is 12.5% in 2016, 13.1% in 2018, 7.3% in 2023 and 9.3% in 2024. "Paid advertising based on the geolocation of internet users" is 14.3% in 2016, 17.6% in 2018, 11.6% in 2023 and 13.6% in 2024. "Any other paid advertising method, not elsewhere classified" is 15.1% in 2016, 15.5% in 2018, 6.0% in 2023 and 10.2% in 2024. All twenty figures are in the table below and in the CSV.
Does this tell us about cafés?
Not directly. Table ICA71 has no sector breakdown, so it gives no figure for cafés or for food and beverage service, and we do not estimate one. The coverage in the Background Notes is enterprises with ten or more persons engaged in the manufacturing, construction and selected services sectors. For a related CSO reading on what enterprise websites offer, see our article on enterprise website functions in 2025. For the Google side, see our article on Google AI Overviews and cafés.
Where do these numbers come from?
They come from the CSO's table ICA71, "Paid internet advertising", unit "%", for the years 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024, updated 14 February 2025. We read it on 28 October 2026. The release is "Information Society Statistics - Enterprises 2024", with its key findings and its Background Notes. Where the page says "ours", the arithmetic is ours.
You can download the figures as a CSV. If you cite it: Cupán Studio, from CSO table ICA71, read 28 October 2026.
| Type of advertising | 2016 | 2018 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Any paid internet advertising | 33.3 | 34.5 | 38.6 | 43.0 |
| Paid advertising based on webpage content or keywords searched by users | 26.4 | 25.9 | 21.8 | 24.1 |
| Paid advertising based on tracking internet users' past activities or profile | 12.5 | 13.1 | 7.3 | 9.3 |
| Paid advertising based on the geolocation of internet users | 14.3 | 17.6 | 11.6 | 13.6 |
| Any other paid advertising method, not elsewhere classified | 15.1 | 15.5 | 6.0 | 10.2 |
Sources
- Central Statistics Office, table ICA71, Paid internet advertising, updated 14 February 2025, read 28 October 2026.
- Central Statistics Office, Information Society Statistics - Enterprises 2024, including its key findings and Background Notes, read 28 October 2026.
Figures from CSO table ICA71, read 28 October 2026; changes in percentage points are ours. A summary of published statistics, not advice. Cupán Studio builds websites for cafés in Ireland.
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